Raising awareness
Many PLE projects aim to raise people's awareness of the law and their rights, and how the law can help resolve disputes. Raising awareness is an important first step, and most projects will also provide a guide to action – usually signposting clients to more detailed information or to sources of further help and advice.
Awareness-raising campaigns may also be focused on a particular change in the law, such as the government's public awareness campaign on tax self-assessment, or they may be aimed at dealing with common misconceptions.
Increased awareness means:
- people are better equipped to avoid problems and disputes; and
- they can take early action to stop a problem escalating into a larger and more serious issue.
January 2010
Equalities and discrimination awareness-raising project
The 'Progress towards equality: Reaching out to communities' project is a partnership between ASA Advicenow, AdviceUK, Citizens Advice and Law Centres Federation. The project will produce an 'Equalities PLE' toolkit, tools for evaluating Equalities PLE projects, and a report on good practice. Find out more...
Parliamentary Outreach
Parliamentary Outreach is part of the UK Parliament website and aims to spread awareness of the work, processes and relevance of the institution of Parliament. Activities include exhibitions, training and drop in sessions, and the production of podcasts on parliamentary services for the public. Find out more...
Islington Summer University
A growing number of summer universities for young people are taking place across London. Islington Summer University has two courses - 'Know you legal rights!' and 'Introduction to Law' run by a local Law Centre. Knowledge about the law and legal systems extends beyond the young people attending the courses and is a valuable way of raising awareness and legal capability in deprived communities. Find out more...
Law Centre Education Law Unit
The Education Unit based at Govan Law Centre aims to raise awareness of legal rights and make legal knowledge and skills accessible to advisors and individuals alike. Legal education is part of their strategy to assist the people of Glasgow, combining legal casework with community education and support. In 2009 they focused has on promoting and protecting the rights of children with special educational needs. Find out more...
Schools Project: Citizenship and Tackling Crime
The National Centre for Citizenship and the Law in Nottingham provides educational programmes using innovative and engaging resources to help develop young people's understanding of citizenship and the law. The Actively Reducing Crime (ARC) programme includes a specially designed resource pack for primary and secondary schools to help raise young people's awareness of crime and encourages them to help reduce crime in their community. Find out more...
Voices from the Streets - DVD and Learning pack
'Voices from the Streets' is produced by the Consortium for Street Children and aims to bring the issues facing street children into the classroom in order to support learning in citizenship. Find out more...
Lawyers in Schools
Lawyers in Schools twinning scheme, run by the Citizenship Foundation, puts practising and trainee lawyers into the classroom to develop young people's awareness and understanding of the law. Find out more...
Giving Young Consumers Confidence - DVD 'Buy Rights - Have Your Say'
The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland has published a DVD, 'Buy Rights - Have Your Say' with support materials to enable young people to become more confident consumers, aware of their rights and able to express themselves in an assured and effective manner. They have a produced a Shoppers' Rights Card as part of a Smart Shoppers Kit. Find out more...
Living Together Campaign
The LivingTogether Campaign run by Advicenow challenges the myths surrounding common-law marriage and provides co-habiting couples with the information they need to safeguard their interests. Find out more...
'Too much Punch for Judy' - Documentary drama
'Too much Punch for Judy' is an award-winning drink drive documentary drama from APE Theatre Company. The company performs preventative, hard-hitting documentary plays on issues of interest to young people. The dramas are followed by interactive workshops. Find out more...
Housing Possession Prevention Project
This project was designed to reduce the number of evictions for rent arrears by a social landlord. It combined day-to-day advice work with the more proactive approach of public legal education and policy work with the local authority. This proved to be very effective, and offers a model for an integrated approach to the work of advice services which could be used elsewhere. The project was a joint initiative by Southwark Law Centre and Blackfriars Advice Centre in South London. Find out more...
Self assessment tax returns campaign
Campaign launched by HM Revenue and Customs to encourage a diverse group of individuals to file self assessment tax returns. A wide variety of different media was used - television, radio commercials, national press and outdoor media such as posters. Find out more...
